LOS ANGELES, October 19, 2000 – IFC Films announced today that Spring Forward, Tom Gilroy’s directorial debut starring Ned Beatty and Liev Schreiber, will open in New York and Los Angeles in December, marking the company’s first theatrical release since its formation last month, said Bob Berney, senior vice president of marketing and distribution
“I am thrilled to start an association with this wonderful group of filmmakers — Tom Gilroy, Paul Mezey, Jim McKay and Gill Holland, and to release this character driven drama which showcases the talents of two amazing actors for whom we will launch an Academy campaign,” said Berney.
Spring Forward, which has been featured at several high profile film festivals, including Toronto, Sundance and the Hamptons, where it was the Closing Night attraction, is the first film of 10-12 releases planned annually for the new distribution company.
“I’m excited that we are able to launch IFC Films with one of our own productions, which we are very proud of,” said Jonathan Sehring, president IFC Entertainment. “We will build our slate from an aggressive acquisitions program as well as selected film from our in-house production entities.”
Spring Forward begins the day Paul (Schreiber) is paroled from jail for holding up a Dunkin’ Donuts in a moment of financial desperation. He gets a fresh start with a Parks and Recreation job in a small New England town where he meets Murph (Beatty), his new work partner, a municipal employee facing his upcoming retirement.
Unfolding through seven real-time episodes set against the backdrop of the changing seasons, and shot in sequence over the course of a year, the film explores the profound way each man changes the other’s perspective on life.P
Academy Award-nominee Ned Beatty is a versatile actor whose credits include Deliverance, All the President’s Men and Cookie’s Fortune. Liev Schreiber was nominated for an Emmy for his role in RKO 281. His credits include A Walk on the Moon, The Hurricane and the Scream trilogy.
Spring Forward also features performances by Campbell Scott (The Spanish Prisoner, Daytrippers), Ian Hart (Enemy of the State, The End of the Affair), Peri Gilpin (NBC’s “Fraiser”), Bill Raymond (One Night Stand, Twelve Monkeys), Catherine Kellner (Kicking and Screaming, The Truth About Tully) and Hallee Hirsh (You’ve Got Mail, One True Thing).
IFC Films is a new theatrical film distribution company under The Independent Film Channel’s IFC Entertainment Division, a division of Bravo Networks. IFC Entertainment also consists of IFC Productions, a feature film production entity; Next Wave Films, a finishing fund; and IFC Originals, which produces original programming for the network.
Contact:
Melissa Hufjay
Rogers & Cowan
(310) 201-8894
mhufjay@shandwick.com
Vicky Eguia
Rogers & Cowan
(310) 201-8889
veguia@shandwick.com